Finlay did not answer. Instead, he turned back to Peter. “Ye’ll ride out with us in case we find her first. Thalia will be ridin’ with me, so I’ll be needin’ the extra horse so Daisy can ride back with ye.”
“Aye, me Laird,” Peter replied with a nod.
Thalia blinked as she processed his words. “Ridin’ with ye? Do I nae get me own horse?”
“There’s nae enough to go around. I already have the other guards out searchin’. So, either ye ride with me, or ye stay here,” Finlay explained.
His tone was blunt, and she could not get a read on him at all. He must be worried about Daisy, but he could not be serious about them riding on the same horse while they searched for her.
“Ye cannae be serious.”
“Do ye want to help or nae?” he barked. “I’m already lettin’ ye come with us, even though I think it’s a terrible idea. So either ye ride with me, or ye stay here. It’s yer choice.”
Thalia huffed. She would not be left behind, so she would just have to do as he said. For now.
“Fine.”
Finlay gave a curt nod. “I’ll need ye to hold the lantern as well. Ye think ye can do that?”
“Aye, I can hold a lantern,” she snapped.
Peter’s eyes darted between them. The man looked as if he wished he could be anywhere else. “Pardon me. I’ll retrieve me horse, and then we can be off.”
He disappeared back into the stables, and Finlay went back to adjusting the straps of his saddle. Thalia watched the muscles under his shirt tense and flex as he worked.
“If ye are so angry with me, why daenae ye let me ride with Peter?” she asked.
Finlay froze at the question. His jaw tightened ever so slightly. Before she could question his reaction, he had seemingly recovered.
“Because me horse is better equipped for two people,” he grunted. “It will be faster. Ye can ride back with him once we’ve found Daisy.”
The horse huffed, throwing back his head as if agreeing with him.
Thalia walked around, holding her hand out to stroke the beast’s nose. The horse accepted the gesture, leaning into it and snorting happily.
“He’s a beautiful creature,” she murmured, and the horse beat his hooves against the ground.
“Aye.” Finlay’s eyes softened. “We’ve been together for many years. Even rode with me into battle on a number of occasions. I couldnae ask for a better companion.”
Peter emerged with his horse, a brown stallion with white patches. The horse was huge, but Finlay’s was larger. It did make sense for her to ride with him if she could not have a horse of her own.
Peter held the lit lantern in one hand. “Lead the way, I’ll be right behind ye.”
Thalia nodded, and Finlay mounted his horse in one easy motion. He reached out his hand to her, and she took it with only a brief moment of hesitation.
His touch sent sparks shooting up her arm, which only worsened as she settled in the saddle right in front of him. His chest pressed into her back, and she fought to keep her breathing calm and even. She needed to focus on Daisy, and not on how comforting Finlay’s arms felt around her.
Peter handed her the lantern, and she held it out in front of her.
“Hold it steady,” Finlay whispered in her ear, his breath ruffling her hair. “Lean into me if ye need to.”
Thalia could only nod. The feel of him against her had stolen all of her words.
He snapped the reins, giving a sharp, “Hah!” Then they were off.
Finlay kept his horse in a steady gallop. Thalia could tell they were not riding at full speed, and she assumed that was more for her sake. She bounced in the saddle, but she kept a tight grip on the lantern, for it illuminated the path before them.
The wind whipped around her, ruffling her hair and lashing at her face. She could not see a thing in the suffocating darkness.She squinted uselessly, and she feared she would be as helpless on this expedition as Finlay had warned her she would be.
